Author Topic: Softball versus baseball  (Read 1626 times)

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Offline Marq

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Softball versus baseball
« on: July 16, 2022, 09:13:11 PM »
1st year baseball official here. Got cornered by a softball coach who convinced me I should also work at sport. What are the pros and cons of working softball. Also does someone have a document outlining the major rule differences between the 2 sports (Fed)?

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2022, 08:05:28 AM »
1st year baseball official here. Got cornered by a softball coach who convinced me I should also work at sport. What are the pros and cons of working softball. Also does someone have a document outlining the major rule differences between the 2 sports (Fed)?

Both are good sports, and are fun to work. I started with softball, then picked up baseball (and dropped softball). I even went to umpires' school and worked one summer of minor league baseball in Florida (geez, that place is humid).
Returned home to a real job, got married, and continued to work HS and D1 baseball (as well HS and small college football). After 10 years of that, baseball had become something that was dang-near every day, during that season. It was tough to manage my job, and baseball both. And having a newborn son, I decided to give that up, and just focus on football (which worked out pretty well).
The point I'm trying to make is that, as enjoyable and rewarding as it is, baseball can be very time-consuming. If you do BOTH (baseball and softball), I can only image that it would be even more time-demanding. But, if you can manage all of that, and it doesn't interfere excessively with work or family life, then, by all means, jump in.
I just don't want anybody to be surprised, a couple of seasons down the road, when they find they are needing to leave work early 3 or 4 times per week during the season, and keep uniforms washed, shoes shined, perform rule/video study, etc. - all the while carrying on normal work and family life.
Good luck, whatever you decide.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2022, 03:35:58 PM »
Welcome, Marq, to our forum. I hope you'll find it enjoyable and informative. Outside of the same number of balls, strikes, outs & bases; there isn't much simular between the two sports. I started working baseball in 1966 and have never worked softball. From that perpesctive, softball seems easier : (1) 90' vs 60' between bases; (2) In Maine their field is usually next to the baseball field and I could probably count on one hand the number of baseball games that have finished before the softball counterparts. You've only invested one year in baseball ,so try softball if you are interested and let us knoe.
                                                                                                      Ralph

Offline lakinco

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2023, 10:41:48 PM »
When discussing softball compared to baseball, there is scientific proof that the former is harder to play because of the difference in field distance and pitching speed, and softball players have a slower reaction time in batting compared to baseball batters. Softball players are 17 feet shorter than baseball players in terms of distance, and everything happens much faster, making pitching more difficult. When the size of a baseball field is compared to that of a softball field, the softball field is smaller. Softball, of course, has a shorter overall distance.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2023, 11:13:51 PM by lakinco »

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2023, 06:38:11 AM »
Welcome, Lakinco, to our forum. I hope you'll find it both interesting and enjoyable. I've been in town a long time and seem to recall that Johnny Carson once had on the Tonight Show Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and the world's fastest lady softball pitcher. With a batting cage as a prop, She promptly struck out Willie & Mick on three pitches each. Yes, the field dimensions are smaller, but the game, itself, doesn't have lesser talent.

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2023, 07:35:37 AM »
While I’ve umpired baseball for 35 years, I’ve never worked fast-pitch softball.  Pretty sure I couldn’t handle the incessant chanting from the dugouts.

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: Softball versus baseball
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2023, 10:22:12 AM »
While I’ve umpired baseball for 35 years, I’ve never worked fast-pitch softball.  Pretty sure I couldn’t handle the incessant chanting from the dugouts.

Well, they weren't playing softball in high school when I was working softball (college rec fast pitch and slow pitch, men and women). After college, I worked city rec softball. It wasn't the only reason for going with baseball rather than softball, but, while working some women's rec fast pitch, some of the 'girls' were out in the parking lot literally opening beer bottles with their teeth.  :o  Seriously.
I decided to try baseball. The boys/men were far more tame.